Automatic controller



Oct. 16, 1923. 1,470,907

F. H. BULLINGER AUTOMAT I C CONTROLLER Filed Jan. 23, 1921 7 1 Z q (invents: 4 5 A flbtow/eu Patented Octc 16, 1923.-

uuirao STATES 1,470,901 PATENT QFFME.

FREDEBIC HENRY Bll'LLINGER, 0F YON'KERS, YORK, ASSJGNOB. T0 WABD LEONARD ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC? CONTROLLER Application filed January as, 1921. Serial No. noses.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnnnnaio H. BUL- LINo'En, a citizen of the United States, re siding at Yonkers,,in the county of VVestchesterand'State of New York, have in-. vented certain new, and useful Improvements in Automatic Controllers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic controllers, such as for storage battery systems. The particular form herein disclosed is utilized for automatically closing the circuit .between the charging dynamo and .the battery when the dynamo attains suflicient voltage to properly charge the battery; mg for automatically opening the circuit whe the voltage of the dynamo falls below a,

proper charging amount, or when a reverse current passes. a

The main objects of my invention are to produce an automatic controller which will be sim la and compact in construction,- adapte to be readily assembled and adjusted, economically manufactured, and durable and reliable in operation.

Another object is to adapt the device to be completely closed and to provide an enclosing casing which may be simply and cheaply made and which when in place is adapted to be sealed against removal for the purpose of avoiding unauthorized adjustment or tampering. Another object is to make the device adapted for mounting on the charging dynamo so that its support thereon serves to make the connections with the dynamo terminals. I

Fig. 1 is a front elevation. of the device. Fig. 2 is a front elevation with the enclosing casing removed. Fig. 3. is a rear elevation with the casing removed. Fig. 4 is a plan view with the casing removed. Fig. 5 is an end elevation with the caring removed. Fig. 6 is a development of one of the sheet metal parts on a. reduced scale, and Fig. 7 is a diagram of connections. I

The main sup orting part of the device is a sheet metal ate 1, which forms a base plate and has ownwardly extending therefrom, in an inclined direction, two slotted ears 1, 1, which slots are adapted to engage two terminal osts on the charging dynamo and thus be xed in position while at the same time making electrical connection therewith. The sheet of insulating mate rial 2 extends over the upper surface of the extending portion 5 base plate 1 and at the front middle edge has a bent-up portion 2' which is slotted to re ceive an outwardly extending slotted mem her 3. This member is also ada ted to engage a terminal of the dynamo w en placed in position thereon thus making an electrical connection and an additional support for the switch.

Another sheet metal plate 3, having the forwardly extending terminal connection 3, is located over the sheet of insulatin material 2. The development of thep ate 3 and its extensions and perforations are shown in Fig. 6. The plate has a leg 3 which is bent upwardly approximately at right angles to the main portion of the plate,"and the outer end of this leg 3", forms a back stop for the movable element or armature of the switch. Near the outer end of this log 3" is a double bend so that the outer end thereof can be readily bent or adjusted to its proper position. The plate 3 also has another leg 3 which is bent upwardly in an inclined direction and. its outer end receives one end of a spiral spring 4 which retracts the armature of the switch against the stop 3". The leg 3 is bendable to an desired fixed position so as to properly a just the tension of the spring 4. Riveted to the middle portion of the leg 3 is a stamped metal strip- 5. This strip extends upwardly and then horizontally and then upwardl having an inwardly which carries the fixed contact 5. The lower portion of the strip 5 is secured to the outer side of le 3. A sheet of insulating material 6 is fol ed over the edge of the leg 3" and is located between it and the lower portion of the strip 5 and also between the leg 3 and a metal strip 6. The rivets 6 secure these parts in place to the leg 3". The strip 5 is thus supported by but electricall insulated from the leg 3".

The contro lin magnet is made up of a strip of metal 7 nt in the shape of an L. An iron core 7" is riveted at one end to the upwardly extending portion of the plate 7. This core carries a fine wire voltage coil 8 enveloped by a sheet of insul'atin material. The voltage coil is retained in place on the core by a washer 9, the washer in turn being retained by punched or upset portions of the end of the core against the washer 9 as indicatedat 7". On the outside of the insulate'd "voltage coil is a series coil 10, the

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wire forming this coil being covered with insulating material, enameled wire being preferably used. One end 10'" of the series coil 10 extends to the strip or bracket 5 and engages a notch in the edge thereof at which point it is soldered to the bracket. The other end 10 of the coil 10 extends to and is electrically connected with a bracket .11. This bracket is mounted on insulatingsheet 2 and has an upwardly extending portion which receives a screw 11*, forming a terminal of the device. The bracket 11 is fixed in position by a screw 11 extending up through the base plate 1, but insulated therefrom. The bracket 11 has a bent tip 11 which engages a notch in the insulating sheet 2, which aidsin properly positioning this terminal bracket. The end 10 of the series coil is engaged by a punched-up lip 11 of the bracket and is soldered thereto. A sheet of insulating material 12 covers one end of the device and is folded around to protect certain parts from being engaged by the enclosing casing. A heavy fiber insulating sheet 13 is also placed over the end of the device for further insulating the terminal bracket 11 from the cover, the portion of this bracket which carries a screw 11 being exposed through an opening in the insulatingsheet 13.

The armature 14 of the magnet is punched from sheet metal and has an upwardly projecting arm 14 carrying the movable contact 14 and also has another upwardly )rojecting arm havin a. head 14, engaged by the inner end of t e spiral spring 4. The plate forming the armature is hinged on a thin sheet of metal 15 of suitable material such as phosphor bronze. It engages the outside lower portion of the armature plate 14 and is secured thereto b a clamping plate 15 and rivets 15". The sheet 15 forming the hinge is bent nearly at right angles and extends inwardly, as shown in Fig. 3 under the plate 7 of the magnet, and above the plate 3. The plates 8, 7 and sheet 15 are clamped together by .an upwardly extending screw not shown in the drawings,

but which engages the hole 3 in the plate 3.

Another screw 16 also clamps these parts together and also to the base plate 1. This screw is insulated from the base plate 1 and extends upwardly through the insulating sheet 2, the plate 3, the sheet 15 and engages the plate 7. This screw passes through the hole 3 of the plate 3, which is made sufliciently large to allow for clearance and adjustment to proper position.

One lead from the potential coil is brought out at its outer end and soldered to the upwardly extending portion 7 of the magnet frame as indicated at 8*.in Fig. 5. The other lead from the potential coil is brought out at the opposite end of the coil and extends down through holes in the plate 7,

sheet 15, hole 3, plate 8, and through the insulating sheet 2 and engages an upset tongue 1 of the base plate 1, to which it is soldered. The voltage coil thus has one terminal connected to the base plate 1 and thus to the ears 1' and the other terminal electrically connected to the plate 3 and to the terminal 3. The movable armature 14 and its contact are also obviously in electrical connection with the terminal 3, The electrical connections are indicated in Fig. 7, wherein the armature of the charging dynamo is indicated at 17, the field coil at 18, the battery at 19 and translating devices at 20. One brush of the dynamo armature is connected toa terminal engaged by one of the ears 1, and the other brush is connected to a terminal engaged by the ear 3 One terminal of the battery is connected to the terminal bracket and screw 11, 11. It is thus evident that the voltage coil 8 is always in shunt with the armature of the charging dynamo. When the voltage of the armature and of this coil is sufficiently high, or reaches a predetermined amount, the magnet will attract its movable armature and cause the movable contact 14 to engage the fixed contact 5", which closes the charging. circuit through the series coil 10 which normally acts cumulatively with the voltage coil 8. The charging circuit is thus kept closed as long as the dynamo has sufficient voltage. But when this becomes too low, or a reverse current flows in the series coil, the spring 10 acts to break the charging circuit by retracting'the armature 14, and the circuit remains open until the charging dynamo again attains sufficient voltage. Any suitable means for regulating the charging current may be used in conjunction with my improved cut-out switch, such as the third brush control, or any of the well known regulating devices.

The enclosing casing 21 is stamped out of sheet metal and folded to form an-enclosing box and is slid down over the device! with suitable openings provided for the outward extension of the terminal parts. A sheet metal strip 22 is passed through two holes in the sides of the casing and is 10- cated above the left-hand ear 1 and below the unbent end portion of the base plate 1. The distant end of this strip is perforated to receive a lead seal so as to prevent removal of the strip and thus avoid unauthorized access to the device.

Although I have illustrated one preferred embodiment of my invention, it is evident that modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the claims. The particular controller herein described is an automatic cut-out switch particularly adapted for use in a dynamo and battery system, but the various features of my invention may be utilized in controllers for other purposes,.sucli as for automatic regulators and the like, the term controller as used in the claims being intended to apply to controllers of various types having a make and break operation.

I claim v An automatic controller comprising a magnet, an armature, contacts controlled thereby, a retracting spring, and a sheet metal element having one portion serving as a stop for's'aid armature, another portion serving as a support for one end of said spring, and another portion serving as a sup port for the fixed contact, said portions be ing located at the same end of said element.

2. An automatic controller comprising a magnet, an armature, contacts controlled thereby, a retracting spring, and a sheet metal element having a bendable portion forming a terminal, an adjustable bendable portion forming a support for said spring and an adjustable bendable portion forming a stop for the armature, and an adjustable bendable element carrying the fixed contact and secured to said sheet metal element.

3. An automatic controller comprising a magnet having a voltage coil and aseries.

coil, an armature, contacts controlled there by, a base plate of sheet metal having an extension forming a support and said support being also a terminal connection, a sheet of insulating material on said base plate, a sheet metal element electrically connected with the frame of said magnet and having an integral outward extension forming a sion, an element for carrying the fixed contact and supported on said upward extension and insulated therefrom, and another terminal element supported on said insulating sheet, one lead from the series coil being electrically connected to said last named element and the other lead from said coil being electrically connected to said element supporting the fixed contact, and one lead from'the voltage coil being cc-nnectedto said base plate and the other lead from said voltage coil being in electrical connection with said outward extension.

4. An automatic controller comprising an L-shaped magnet frame, a core secured to one portion of said frame, an armature movably connected to the other portion of said frame, a retracting spring, windings on said core, a sheet metal base plate having an extension forming a support and said support being also a terminal connection, a sheet of insulating material on said plate, a sheet metal element between said insulating sheet and said magnet frame and having an integral outward extension forming a terminal, an upward extension for supporting one end of said spring and another upward extension to form a stop for said armature, said upward extensions being at the same end of said element, and an element for carrying the fixed contact and supported but insulated from one of said upward extensions.

FREDERIC HENRY BULLINGER. 

